Isabel (Santa) Hernandez

November 15, 2007

Hello Everyone -

In my last update I wrote regarding the sudden death of a very loved and respected woman of God – Isabel (Santa) Hernandez, wife of Pastor Luis Hernandez of Light of the World Church located on Child Street.

It has been an emotional week to say the least.  The services for her were held  on Tuesday night, November 12th, right at her church as opposed to a funeral home simply because there is no funeral home large enough to be able to hold the hundreds of people that were expected to attend the services, and because the church is home – where else would it be held – but the House of God itself. 

Hundreds of people did show – and parking became challenging and only available blocks away from the church very early on.  However there was such order, obedience, and reverence that everything went off without a glitch.  Many churches volunteered help in the areas of security, parking, ushering, cooking and serving of food, even the  collaboration of different choirs singing together!  There were so many people involved that made the entire process successful and as pain-free as possible.  It made the heart feel warm to see this happen – praise God!

Hundreds of people started arriving very early and sitting very quickly was not an option for hundreds more waiting to get into the main sanctuary - and who ended up in the overflow instead. 

There were pastors and their families, from different churches and faiths, both locally and from many other states far and near, who came to pay their respects. 

The celebration of the departure of a loved one is bittersweet for us – there is a mixture of singing, joyful sounds, laughter, clapping, tears, memories, pain, etc.  Mourning and celebration at the same time.  Laughing and crying – remembering, telling and sharing.  Stories about her were shared by family members that made everyone laugh and made some cry, others would shake their heads in acknowledgment of the stories and/or her character.  In any case, it gave one an opportunity to get to know her better as a wife, mother, pastor and woman of God.  It was really wonderful to know through the stories that she and her husband Pastor Hernandez still carried on as newlyweds even after 33 years of marriage! 

The number of children, babies, teens, young adults, was staggering to say the least, and if the babies cried or made a fuss, no one noticed or seem to mind – the focus was on the beautiful homage paid this woman by young and old alike who touched so many lives both in church, the school where she worked for over 30 years, her associates, family, friends, etc.  The service lasted 2 hours, but could have gone on much longer and no one would have minded.

The music and chorus composed of at least 4-5 different churches was inspiring to say the least and it lifted your spirit and carried you up as you could feel the presence of the Lord and hear the angelic hosts singing along; the flowers were outrageously colorful and splendidly gorgeous the way she enjoyed them.  She loved color!  No details about her likes were spared!  She laid surrounded by all the things that made her happy and she enjoyed!

Yesterday, Wednesday, November 14th, we shared more time at church, getting ready to say our final farewell to Isabel as we viewed her for the last time in this life - and that was emotional.  She is missed so much by so many and will continue to be so, however, we are consoled by the fact that we know she is with the Lord bathing in His glory and for that we are comforted, and by the legacy she left behind that will live on for a very long time. 

Please continue to pray especially for her husband Pastor Luis Hernandez, her son, her mother and brothers and rest of the family. Though they know she has gone home and is with the Lord, they still miss their beloved – there is an empty space in their hearts and absence in their lives that can only be filled again through faith, time and prayer and the knowledge that one day they will all be reunited with her in heaven.   

Love and blessings to you and yours,

Mildred